Category: Microbiology

The Role of Promising Therapeutic Target, Plasminogen-binding Protein (PbsP), in the Pathogenicity of S. agalactiae and Development of Neonatal GBS Meningitis

June 8, 2023 Megan Branum
Megan Branum Background: Neonatal invasive GBS disease is the leading cause of infection-related neonatal morbidity and mortality globally, caused by the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae, colloquially known as Group-B Streptococcus (GBS).1-4  After transmission from asymptomatically colonized genitourinary tracts of pregnant women, GBS utilizes virulence factors for pathogenic invasion of neonates.1-4 Current…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Bacteroides Fragilis Toxin Induces IL-8 Secretion Through an E-Cadherin/β-Catenin Pathway to Enhance Colorectal Cancer Progression

June 6, 2023 Andrew Talcott
Andrew Talcott Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as both the third highest diagnosed cancer and cause of cancer-related death for both men and women in the United States.1 CRC originates in intestinal epithelial cells of the colon and has been shown to be closely associated with gut microbiome dysbiosis.2,3,6 Current…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Microbiology

The Significance of Latent Epstein-Barr Virus-Infected B-cells in Multiple Sclerosis

June 5, 2023 Aaron Bennett
Aaron Bennett Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune-driven demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with a relatively unknown etiology and lack of a cure. 1-3 Symptoms of MS include optic neuritis, vision loss, neuralgia, fatigue, and ataxia. 1-3 Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is a herpesvirus that has infected…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology Neuroscience

Epstein-Barr Virus And Its Association With Multiple Sclerosis Via Autoreactive B-Cell And Defective Cytotoxic T-Cells

June 5, 2023 Zachary Payne
Zachary Payne Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease affecting myelinated nerves of the central nervous system (CNS).1 The destruction of myelin of nerve axons in the disease leads to a variety of CNS symptoms.1-5 Important factors which increase risk for MS include being female, smoking, obesity, and Vitamin…
Featured Abstracts Immunology Inflammation Microbiology

The Role of Sphingolipids in the Creation of Biosensors for SARS-COV-2

June 29, 2022 Theresa Thurston
Theresa Thurston Introduction. Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses in humans and animals that can cause acute and chronic diseases¹. SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses¹, which all use the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for entry into cells¹. Nucleic acid detection is the gold standard for…
Engineering Medicine Microbiology

The Efficacy of Current Preventative Treatments Against the HPV Virus and Barriers to Adoption

June 28, 2022 Akshaya Santhanaraj
Akshaya Santhanaraj Introduction: Two subtypes of the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV-16 and HPV-18, account for 50% and 10% of all cervical cancer cases respectively1. Preventative measures have been proven to be almost 100% effective against HPV-infiection2. However, two challenges still exist regarding the current HPV vaccine: a lack of therapeutic…
Engineering Medicine Microbiology

Targeting Serum Cytokines as Prognostic Biomarkers for COVID-19 Biosensors

June 28, 2022 Shourya Kumar
Shourya Kumar and Limei Tian, PhD Introduction: Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses in humans and animals that can cause acute and chronic diseases1. In patients with a weak immune system or other (unknown) pre-existing conditions, an uncontrolled inflammatory response linked to a cytokine storm has been associated with severe pulmonary…
Engineering Medicine Immunology Inflammation Microbiology